The monthly inflation rate for July has declined from 21.0 percent to 20.2 percent.
Central Statistical Office (CSO) Director John Kalumbi has attributed the drop to a reduction in the prices of vegetables and purchase of motor vehicles and airfares.
Mr. Kalumbi disclosed in Lusaka at a press briefing that the annual food inflation rate for July 2016 was recorded at 24.8 percent compared to 25.3 percent recorded in June, 2016 indicating a decrease of 0.5 percentages.
He said the decrease is due to lower prices of food stuffs such as tomatoes, beans and bananas among others.
Mr. Kalubi said the non-food inflation for July 2016 decreased to 15.3 percent from 16.5 percent recorded in June this year representing 1.2 percent.
He however disclosed that Zambia recorded a trade deficit in June this year amounting to K1, 905.9 million from K79.2 million recorded in May this year, representing an increase in imports than exports.
Mr. Kalumbi stated that the trade deficit shot up due to significant increases in imports by 41.2 percent from K5, 494.3 million in May to K7, 755.6 million in June this year.
The CSO Director pointed out that Zambia’s major imports are Kuwaiti and China.
Trending down? I thought inflation was about 8% a year ago. How is 20 % trending down? From single digit to double digit.
This is a warning and do not say you were not told. If you elect Lungu, inflation will shoot to 50%, interests rates will be north of 60%, trade deficit will massively balloon beyond K7, 755.6 million and the Kwacha will collapse and Zambia would be worse than Zimbabwe and Somalia combined.
Starting August inflation might be single digit when it the double digit last year
nonsense..this is too much for a country..
Have they ever heard of the saying ” you can fool all of the people……..
Just read that headline and check out Zambia’s broken grammar. In Journalism of all places!
Where are the PF kaponyas bloggers to sonta………
They don’t understand economics
Inflation is coming down, a good pointer that the economy is on the way to recovery. I particularly like the way it is decreasing slowly but steadily which is an indication that it is a sustainable trend, exactly according to economic theory. Surely even underfive boy knows this even if he does not want to show it. Or he is ignorant as usual, still expecting Anglo American to.come and rescue Zambia…..and reemploy retrenched zambian miners. …………….kikikikikikiki